An Unlikely Companion
by Aspicia
Summary: How Cloud Nine got a new travelling companion...in the form of a little monkey. NOTE: I wrote this before I found out her monkey was an Innocence.


The team of Exorcists ventured silently through the jungle. They were on a mission: a Finder had reported of a massive number of Akuma-related activities occurring around that very same area, and it was their duty to investigate that matter. Right now, it was rather hard to believe that. The jungle was of utmost serenity; with no towns or cities for miles, there was relatively little disturbance towards nature here. Except of course…there was no sight of any birds or even any other animal at all.

"Mistress Cloud?" said a female Exorcist by the name of Tina Spark, eyeing her surroundings, feeling rather unsettled.

The General looked up into the sky, scanning the horizons. Then she turned to her disciple who had spoken. "Yes, Tina. I sense it too. Something is clearly _unnatural_ about this jungle. Perhaps the reports of Akuma are true, then." Sol Galen, another member of Cloud's team, admired his General's calmness. Somehow, having such a levelheaded leader puts them all at ease, even with all their sharpened senses.

Obviously, with all those years of experience as Exorcists, they wouldn't expect this serenity to last. All of them heard a noise in the distance, not too far from where they were. 'Akuma,' they all thought simultaneously. Cloud instinctively made a move towards that place, with her three disciples not far behind at her heel.

True enough, approximately three dozen Akuma, a mixture of Level Ones and Twos, were in that area. At the sight of the Exorcists, they immediately launched their attack. "Tina! Sol! Gwen! Handle these ones!" Cloud commanded. The three Exorcists looked to see their General making a move towards a rare-sighted Level Three Akuma, which had arrived at the scene.

"Mistress Cloud!" Tina exclaimed out of concern for her beloved leader.

Sol dodged at attack. "Tina! Don't worry about Mistress Cloud! She can handle it!" Tina glumly nodded and the three focused on eliminating all of the devious Akuma. Cloud had trained them well; they managed to defeat all of their enemies with minimum injuries, except that Gwen received a cut on her cheek from her fight.

"How's Mistress Cloud!" Tina bit her lip, scanning for their General.

Cloud herself answered Tina's question. She walked calmly towards them, while gently cradling something in her arms. Her disciples peered curiously as to what Cloud was holding. To their surprise, it was a little monkey, with a bleeding wound on its arm. Cloud signalled to Sol, who had his first aid kit ready for use after putting a bandage on Gwen's cut.

Very gently, Cloud wrapped a roll of bandage on the monkey's wound. It screeched and hissed in protest from the pain, but Cloud was firm and paid no heed. She cooed for it to calm down. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," she assured. The monkey wasn't convinced, despite Cloud's good intentions. It sank its teeth onto her finger as she was bandaging it.

"Mistress Cloud!" Gwen exclaimed in shock.

Cloud just smiled in amusement at the hissing monkey. "Now, that's not very being grateful to the person who saved you from that Akuma, isn't it?" After wrapping up the last of its wound, she carried it to the nearest tree. "There, off you go now. And stay away from any Akuma, you hear?" The monkey leapt to a branch, eyeing Cloud and her team. It then scurried away up the tree.

"Let's go," Cloud said, and the team went on their way. All was well for the rest of their journey, with no other Akuma attacks. The jungle resumed its tranquil state as before, but this time, the sound of birds chirping and other animal sounds such as deer and squirrels could be heard. With the ominous presence of the Akuma eliminated, the jungle felt alive once again, restored to its full natural glory.

"Mistress Cloud?" Sol inquired, as their General suddenly halted. Tina and Gwen looked to their leader, with curiosity etched on their expressions. 'Another Akuma, perhaps?' Sol thought warily. Cloud turned her attention to the tree on her left, and walked towards it. She held up her arm, and suddenly, a little creature from that tree's branch and leapt onto her arm, then made its way onto her shoulder, resting its tail around her neck.

"Mistress Cloud, isn't that…"

Cloud smiled. "Well, it seems our little friend from before wants to come with us." The monkey screeched in agreement. Its new owner, Cloud, stroked its head affectionately.

"Well then, welcome to the team."

* * *

**The author speaks:** _Just something that I was toying around in my head: how Cloud got her little monkey. Dontcha just think it_'_s so adorable? XD_

_Please R&R :)_


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